Mayor Victor Cumming (file photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Year End Review

Vernon saw strong tourism, housing construction, and project completions in 2025: Mayor Cumming

Dec 29, 2025 | 10:49 AM

The Mayor of Vernon has reflected on the successes of the year, despite the impacts and complications with rising costs and international trade.

In a year-end statement, Mayor Victor Cumming said Vernon, the province and the country did see a shift in commercial trading relations with the United States, leading to tariffs on many commodities, including softwood lumber. However, the mayor said the tense relations between the countries did have an upside as additional Canadian visitors travelled through and stayed in Vernon over the spring and summer. Cumming said these visits, along with a wet spring that helped reduce wildfire activity over the summer and a warm fall, were very beneficial for the local tourism operators.

The mayor also said this past year saw a lot of activity in the housing and building sectors.

“The private sector took out building permits for 215+ housing units, about 40 more than in 2024, dominated by multi-unit permits, plus obvious commercial and industrial buildings constructed at the city’s north end, along 25th Avenue and on Highway 6,” Cumming said in the year end release.

“The Upper Room Mission opened a new winter shelter, and The Salvation Army opened the much improved and expanded Food Bank.”

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Cumming went on to tout the progress made on the major projects in and around Vernon.

“The new roundabouts at 39th Avenue and Pleasant Valley Road, and Phoenix Drive and Silver Star Road were completed on time and within their respective budgets,” Cumming said.

“The Active Living Centre’s (ALC) construction moved from looking like a dinosaur carcass to a large closed-in building. Inside, floors have been poured, pools have been water tested, and the massive tiling task is underway. The multi-use path on 43rd Avenue was completed in front of the ALC to assist non-vehicle access to the facility. The Greater Vernon Cultural Centre broke ground, with solid progress on site preparation and the building’s foundation.”

The mayor also noted that the Okanagan Gondola project, located off Bailey Road near Highway 97, was also started this past year; that the Vernon Creek Naturalization project in Polson Park had wrapped up; that the new Goose Lake Range Park and Jordon Nature Reserve Park new trails and parking lots were built out; and that some major planning documents in the forms of the Official Community Plan and Transportation Plan were adopted to help guide the city’s growth moving forward.

Vernon City Council will return to the chambers and resume their duties leading the city with their first regular meeting of 2026 on Monday, January 12.